Terry Whisnant Age:18 Major:Exploratory
It was late in the afternoon on a Friday in the Suwannee Room. Terry was eating with one of his teammates and there it was, the perfect opportunity to get to know a player outside of his zone of expertise. His six foot three stature and Nike Vogue gave him away. Little did I know how talented this young man really is by merely observing him. He came off very friendly and shy when approached, disproving the idea that college athletes are solely standoffish “jocks”. I emphasized that our next conversation would be on the record and he laughed in disbelief.
The next time we met he was gasping for air and fanning himself as he asked for a couple of minutes since he’d just finished playing a game of basketball with his friends. As we walked to a quieter area, he jokingly announced he would interrogate me in return. Athletes at the NCAA level develop a magnitude of confidence higher than that of an average college student. Basketball players, especially, display a “Playboy” persona. He managed to wave and greet about six females walking past the dining hall in a matter of twenty minutes. Terry exuded a flirtatious vibe once he got comfortable talking about himself, though he implied he was not in the least interested in the attention he received. His egotistical tone could be justified by his inherent talent shooting the ball. Although his input regarding his athletic career seemed very rehearsed, his passion for the game is genuine. Therefore, the ego is a byproduct of his talent.
His scholastic goals are not nearly as elaborate as his athletic goals, unfortunately. Like other college athletes in his position, he does not have a definite “plan B” which can affect him in the long run. He recites his priorities putting school first because without it he cannot have his true number one. He definitely “talks the talk”, but he also “walks the walk” averaging more than thirty points per game and placing twenty-seventh for his position on the ESPN top hundred college basketball players recruited in 2011.
Many professional athletes love to talk about their personal goals and the very few who have a chance to finish college and receive a degree make that very known. So I wondered if he had any other pursuits.
Q: What made you decide to try the exploratory route ?
A: I felt undecided because I have a lot of options and I really hadn’t made up my mind yet.
Q: When do you think you’ll decide to change it ?
A: Hopefully this Fall.
Q: Tell me a little bit about how you got into basketball ?
A: When I was little, just being around it my dad played a lot. Watching other players, that made me want to play. I started maybe age 3 or 4, so I mean I started early. It’s been a long time.
It seems as though his father was a great influence early in his life because most children usually do not lean towards a specific sport that early. Despite this, Terry endured all these years. That's dedication.
Q: Do you have any favorite players or teams in the NBA?
A: I have a few. The traditional Kobe Bryant, Lebron James, Dwayne Wade.
Not really any favorite team.
Q: What do you think has been your biggest accomplishment thus far?
A: Winning. I think me losing in the past has made me better and stronger, so I just don’t like losing.
Q: Where are you from?
A: North Carolina (laughing) , Cherryville thirty minutes from Charlotte.
I told him I'd been to the NASCAR center in Charlotte. He did not expect me to know about Cherryville.
Q: Wow! NC... So you came a long way, what made you make that decision?
A: Just to get away from home. I have been in NC my whole life so I always wanted to get away and I love Florida, just like any other athlete... even though it’s hot, I still love it.
Q: What did you want to get away from ?
A: (Pause) Just a small town with the same people. I mean I’ll probably miss them, but I just want to start something new and move on.
I thought about the many celebrities and pro-athletes that come from small towns.
Q: So you got recruited here?
A: Yeah I got a full scholarship here to play basketball. I mean I got other offers but they were all kind of close to home, like Clemson, so I chose Florida State and the coaching staff was friendly and straight-forward.
A: Winning. I think me losing in the past has made me better and stronger, so I just don’t like losing.
Q: Where are you from?
A: North Carolina (laughing) , Cherryville thirty minutes from Charlotte.
I told him I'd been to the NASCAR center in Charlotte. He did not expect me to know about Cherryville.
Q: Wow! NC... So you came a long way, what made you make that decision?
A: Just to get away from home. I have been in NC my whole life so I always wanted to get away and I love Florida, just like any other athlete... even though it’s hot, I still love it.
Q: What did you want to get away from ?
A: (Pause) Just a small town with the same people. I mean I’ll probably miss them, but I just want to start something new and move on.
I thought about the many celebrities and pro-athletes that come from small towns.
Q: So you got recruited here?
A: Yeah I got a full scholarship here to play basketball. I mean I got other offers but they were all kind of close to home, like Clemson, so I chose Florida State and the coaching staff was friendly and straight-forward.
Q: Is it hard to have to worry about injuries?
A: Going into everything there’s always a risk, I mean everyone is at risk really. As long as I take care of my body the proper way, then everything will be okay.
Q: So how do you go about taking care of your body?
A: Just eat right and work out, lift regularly do some running. Make sure I don’t gain much more weight and just keep working hard at what I do.
Q: Do you feel like you have a large support system here?
A: Yes, we have trainers that help us out and guide us in the right direction to what we need to do to stay fit. There’s a lot of people supporting me and the rest of the team too.
Q: How do you and your family feel about you coming here ?
A: They feel comfortable with my decision, I think they’re a little worried that I’m far away and I have to grow up really fast but overall they’re pretty excited and they’re happy for me.
Q: Did you leave behind anyone special?
A: I left my nephew and my niece, they’re 2 and 6 months now. I left a few good friends behind but I want to keep in touch so I’m good.
A: Going into everything there’s always a risk, I mean everyone is at risk really. As long as I take care of my body the proper way, then everything will be okay.
Q: So how do you go about taking care of your body?
A: Just eat right and work out, lift regularly do some running. Make sure I don’t gain much more weight and just keep working hard at what I do.
Q: Do you feel like you have a large support system here?
A: Yes, we have trainers that help us out and guide us in the right direction to what we need to do to stay fit. There’s a lot of people supporting me and the rest of the team too.
Q: How do you and your family feel about you coming here ?
A: They feel comfortable with my decision, I think they’re a little worried that I’m far away and I have to grow up really fast but overall they’re pretty excited and they’re happy for me.
Q: Did you leave behind anyone special?
A: I left my nephew and my niece, they’re 2 and 6 months now. I left a few good friends behind but I want to keep in touch so I’m good.
Q: You mentioned that you had watched your dad growing up so would you say he’s your role model?
A: Yeah he’s helped me out a lot, kept me in the gym even when I didn’t want to go and just made me work hard, so I’d like to give a lot of credit to him.
Q: The first thing I noticed about you, other than height, was your tattoos. Tell me a little bit about that.
A: Well I just started my tattoos last year and I have them all the way down my arms, my hands, back, and chest. I just wanted them since I was little. All of them pretty much have a meaning behind them
Q: Do you think it's part of the basketball culture? Because I noticed even in the NBA, the majority of the players have them?
A: It's really a personal choice but as you look around almost all of us have tattoos. It really wasn’t about basketball, except for a few.
Q: Do feel like you express yourself more through the way you play ?
A: My style on the court is to be laid back and aggressive at the same time. I don’t really express my feelings a lot, I just go out there and play ball.
Q: What’s your position ?
A: I play shooting guard.
Q: Wow, do you think that is a harder position to play?
A: Yeah he’s helped me out a lot, kept me in the gym even when I didn’t want to go and just made me work hard, so I’d like to give a lot of credit to him.
Q: The first thing I noticed about you, other than height, was your tattoos. Tell me a little bit about that.
A: Well I just started my tattoos last year and I have them all the way down my arms, my hands, back, and chest. I just wanted them since I was little. All of them pretty much have a meaning behind them
Q: Do you think it's part of the basketball culture? Because I noticed even in the NBA, the majority of the players have them?
A: It's really a personal choice but as you look around almost all of us have tattoos. It really wasn’t about basketball, except for a few.
Q: Do feel like you express yourself more through the way you play ?
A: My style on the court is to be laid back and aggressive at the same time. I don’t really express my feelings a lot, I just go out there and play ball.
Q: What’s your position ?
A: I play shooting guard.
Q: Wow, do you think that is a harder position to play?
A: I think we all work just as hard. We all work equally hard to come together as a team to win this national championship and the NCAA tournament.
Q: So how hard do they work you exactly?
A: Its hard to describe, it's the hardest I’ve ever had to work so I mean its a work out. It's hard but real champions get through it.
Q: How far do you think we’ll get this year?
A: We have potential and it’ll take us far.
Q: How different do you think high school and college basketball are ?
Q: So how hard do they work you exactly?
A: Its hard to describe, it's the hardest I’ve ever had to work so I mean its a work out. It's hard but real champions get through it.
Q: How far do you think we’ll get this year?
A: We have potential and it’ll take us far.
Q: How different do you think high school and college basketball are ?
A: VERY. In high school, you can kind of take plays off but in college you have to play every position to the fullest because everybody is equally as gifted as you and can play like you. You work hard and do your best on everything, including off the court and give it your all.
Q: How well do you manage your time?
A: Right now it's hard because I’m just getting used to what I need to do; having meetings, workouts, classes, and fit in free time. I’m still trying to adjust.
A: Right now it's hard because I’m just getting used to what I need to do; having meetings, workouts, classes, and fit in free time. I’m still trying to adjust.
Q: Are you guys big on partying?
A: In order to play, we have to study and I also like to have fun a lot. But academics comes before basketball too. Without that I can’t play.
A: In order to play, we have to study and I also like to have fun a lot. But academics comes before basketball too. Without that I can’t play.
Q: How often do you or your teammates go out?
A: (Laughs) We go out a few times you know, not more than average and we just bond really.
Q: Do you guys bond any other ways to bond?
A: On the court, in the locker rooms, kicking back, telling stories, laughing and joking around, you know.
Q: Do you think you have it harder than the non-athletes on campus?
A: Some would say no, but I would say yeah because we have to have workouts. We have a real real busy schedule and in season we often miss a lot of classes so that’s a lot of work we have to keep up with. The average student doesn’t have a reason to miss days. We are always on the move and don’t have too much free time and I would say its harder.
Q: How do you feel about missing class?
A: Well I haven’t yet. I’m a freshman, I just know in high school, I would like it. So I mean if it's for a purpose, I'm on a mission to win the national championship. As long as the work gets done then, I'm glad.
Q: What are your plans after college ?
A: My first goal is to make it into professional basketball or just keep up with sports, maybe broadcasting.
(waves at group of girls)
Q: You seem pretty well known, how does that go along with being a ball player?
A: I don't know. I don't think they know I’m a ball player, I’m pretty shy actually. I didn't really socialize with a lot of girls, I mean until I get comfortable, and then I open up. I try to make friends, I like that.
His face showed his discomfort but he smiled with a surprised look. I suggested that as many other athletes, maybe he enjoyed the attention despite his strong focus that was obvious from the first words he uttered.
Q: I knew you were a basketball player when I saw you, why do you think they don't know?
A: Maybe I'm wrong, maybe they do know.
A: (Laughs) We go out a few times you know, not more than average and we just bond really.
Q: Do you guys bond any other ways to bond?
A: On the court, in the locker rooms, kicking back, telling stories, laughing and joking around, you know.
Q: Do you think you have it harder than the non-athletes on campus?
A: Some would say no, but I would say yeah because we have to have workouts. We have a real real busy schedule and in season we often miss a lot of classes so that’s a lot of work we have to keep up with. The average student doesn’t have a reason to miss days. We are always on the move and don’t have too much free time and I would say its harder.
Q: How do you feel about missing class?
A: Well I haven’t yet. I’m a freshman, I just know in high school, I would like it. So I mean if it's for a purpose, I'm on a mission to win the national championship. As long as the work gets done then, I'm glad.
Q: What are your plans after college ?
A: My first goal is to make it into professional basketball or just keep up with sports, maybe broadcasting.
(waves at group of girls)
Q: You seem pretty well known, how does that go along with being a ball player?
A: I don't know. I don't think they know I’m a ball player, I’m pretty shy actually. I didn't really socialize with a lot of girls, I mean until I get comfortable, and then I open up. I try to make friends, I like that.
His face showed his discomfort but he smiled with a surprised look. I suggested that as many other athletes, maybe he enjoyed the attention despite his strong focus that was obvious from the first words he uttered.
Q: I knew you were a basketball player when I saw you, why do you think they don't know?
A: Maybe I'm wrong, maybe they do know.
Q: So you think you fit the profile?
A: (Laughing) Yeah I think I do.
A: (Laughing) Yeah I think I do.
Q: Would you use that as leverage to get to girls?
A: No no no, Im really humble. I dont try to act cocky or try to get girls just because I play ball or try to do more than the average student.
Q: But do you appreciate the fact that your well known?
A: Yes, I do actually.
(Vibrating phone)
Q: I know football players that are redshirted and players that just don’t play at all, how do you feel about them on the basketball team ?
A: Walk-ons work equally as hard even if they don’t get to play as much, but they put a lot into the team and what we do.
Q: How is it determined whether or not to put someone in?
A: Just how hard they work in practice and also off the court. As long as you work hard and show the coaches that you got heart and you can do it, then they’ll build trust in you.
A: No no no, Im really humble. I dont try to act cocky or try to get girls just because I play ball or try to do more than the average student.
Q: But do you appreciate the fact that your well known?
A: Yes, I do actually.
(Vibrating phone)
Q: I know football players that are redshirted and players that just don’t play at all, how do you feel about them on the basketball team ?
A: Walk-ons work equally as hard even if they don’t get to play as much, but they put a lot into the team and what we do.
Q: How is it determined whether or not to put someone in?
A: Just how hard they work in practice and also off the court. As long as you work hard and show the coaches that you got heart and you can do it, then they’ll build trust in you.
Q: What do you think sets you aside from the average player?
A: I mean I can shoot pretty well, thats a plus right there and I work hard because I don’t like to lose.
(Vibrating phone)
A: I mean I can shoot pretty well, thats a plus right there and I work hard because I don’t like to lose.
(Vibrating phone)
His phone had been vibrating and while at first he ignored it, he seemed anxious.
Q: Are there any tensions between the athletes or sports?
A: No, we all play for Florida State. We reflect on each other and the school.
Q: Do you think you guys get preferential treatment?
A: Stop Playin’... (laughs) I dont know, we get treated good and we get good meal plans.
Q: Do you think your plans may change in the course of the four years?
A: No, not at all not at all.
Terry Outside the Suwannee Room
